AAUP-WSU rejects fact finder’s report

FAIRBORN — Members of the American Association of University Professors-Wright State University voted to reject the fact finder’s report: 467 voted to reject, 12 to accept, totalling to more than 97 percent of the voters rejecting the report.

According to a press release by the AAUP-WSU, members found that the fact finder’s recommendations would erode the quality of education the faculty provides the students, hurt the community the university serves and threaten the livelihood of faculty — and they voted accordingly.

“AAUP-WSU is ready to negotiate,” the release said. “It is now the responsibility of [Wright State University] President [Cheryl] Schrader and the board of trustees to sit down with us. AAUP-WSU has committed not to initiate a strike unless president Schrader and the board try to impose a contract that would damage education at Wright State.”

The numbers: 564 persons are in the Bargaining Unit represented by AAUP-WSU; Of these, 493 were chapter members and eligible to vote; Among the eligible voters, 97.2 percent did indeed vote and among those who voted, 97.5 percent voted to reject the fact finder’s report.

“Our membership is clearly united in their determination to protect education for present and future Wright State students,” AAUP-WSU President Marty Kich said. “Our position has always been that solving WSU’s short term financial crisis should not inflict permanent damage on the University’s academic mission. In fact, WSU avoided fiscal watch without any of the extreme proposals President Schrader and the Board demanded. For months, they have only pretended to engage in bargaining. It is time to work together to ensure WSU’s future.”